Is It Necessary to Have a Patent Agent for Your Business? ﻿

If your business has a patent which you need to get registered, you definitely may need a patent agent on your team. If you’ve invented something which you don’t want used without your permission, and you don’t want copied, you’ll have to register a patent with the US government.

In general, business law says you can patent any new invention which has usefulness to the general public, but the question of which specific items can be patented is a lot more complex. That’s where a patent agent comes in.

Registered patent agents

A registered patent agent is an individual who is familiar with business law, as well as all the requirements of filing for a patent with the government. To become registered, this person must pass an exam which calls for solid training in scientific and technical areas. The successful agent must also have a bachelors degree in some aspect of engineering, or one of the sciences. A patent agent will generally specialize in a specific area of patent pursuits.

Do you really need a patent agent?

There have been a number of changes to business law affecting patents in the last several years, and the degree of complexity has gone up considerably. The process for registering a patent has also undergone a major overhaul, with the most significant change involving who can file for a patent on a given item. Whereas formerly the first person to invent a new object was eligible to file for patent, now the patent is issued to the first person to file for the patent. Even small businesses can benefit by this change in business law, particularly if you have a patent agent ready to go to work on your behalf, once you have all the documentation ready.

Does your small business need funding to hire a patent agent?

If you should suddenly become aware that you’ll be needing to hire a patent agent, that may call for funding which you don’t really have. Contact us at Mossberg Strategic Capital if you require business financing for this, or any other business purpose.